A Framework for Image Segmentation Using Physical Models of Image Formation

Abstract

This paper presents a new approach to segmentation using explicit hypotheses about the physics that creates images. We propose an initial segmentation that identifies image regions exhibiting constant color; but possibly varying intensity. For each region, we propose a set of hypotheses, each of which specifically models the illumination, reflectance, and shape of the 3-D patch which caused that region. Each hypothesis represents a distinct, plausible explanation for the color and intensity variation of that patch. Hypotheses for adjacent patches can be compared for similarity and merged when appropriate, resulting in more global hypotheses which group elementary regions.